r/macro_pads

Don’t get me wrong - I’m a fan of having lots of programmable keys myself.

Basically, I think it’s a great idea. The price is reasonable, too.

But I don’t think the 10x10 key layout is ideal.

I use a 75% / 85-key keyboard (Redragon K629-RGB) as a VIA macro pad (along with an EasyLink U2U module QMK VIA - in hindsight, I would have done it differently). Three-quarters of the keys are assigned.

I would have found a 5x25, 6x17 or 7x15 key layout more practical, since that would allow me to use a palm rest and avoid having to reach across multiple rows.

With my 100% keyboard, I have 6 rows, all in a single line. I can operate most of the keys without looking.

I imagine that with a 10x10 key matrix, it would be more difficult and uncomfortable.

What do you think about this?

Quick prototype update on our modular macro keyboard project.

We’re experimenting with something a bit different from traditional mechanical macropads: touch controls integrated directly into decorated glass and carbon fiber, with finger guides so you can still find the controls without looking.

For this prototype we tested one of our capacitive sensors behind the glass, measured the raw capacitance in different finger positions, and built a vibe-coded filter to distinguish between the resting position and an intentional touch.

And… it works :D

The concept we’re working toward includes:

• 2×2 programmable touch modules
• Touch sliders for volume / zoom / scrolling
• Finger guides + resting positions
• Dynamic haptic feedback
• 5×5 RGB dot-matrix icons
• Open software and custom profiles
• Custom glass / carbon fiber artwork
• Gridfinity-compatible modular layouts

Next step is connecting the prototype to actual PC software and games and seeing how it feels in real workflows.

Would love some feedback: what would you want to see us test next? And if anyone here is interested in early prototype and giving us useful feedback, we’re looking for beta testers.

Hi Makers!

3D files: https://www.crealitycloud.com/model-detail/hackman3d-control-deck-build-your-own-controller

I’m happy to introduce the HackMan3D Control Deck (HCD), a fully customizable 3D-printed macro controller for Windows and macOS.

It features 9 mechanical keys, with separate short-press and long-press actions, providing up to 18 programmable functions. You can launch applications, open files or websites, type predefined text, control media and volume, execute custom shortcuts, and more.

The downloadable files also include 52 ready-to-print custom keycaps and a blank, logo-free STEP file so you can design and share your own keys.

The HCD app provides multiple profiles, automatic device detection, key configuration, lighting controls, profile backup and sharing, and integrated firmware installation, no Arduino IDE required.

The project is free, and the public GitHub repository is linked in the project publications. It contains the source code, firmware, documentation, and the latest Windows and macOS app releases.

I’d love to see your builds, custom keycaps, feedback, and ideas!

HackMan3D

Been chipping away at this for months: 9 keys, rotary encoder, ESP32-S3, BLE. Started as a weekend idea, turned into a real rabbit hole.

Two things ate most of my time — hot-swap contacts going flaky from plate flex (took a couple PCB revisions to fix), and tuning BLE HID latency to feel as snappy as wired.

Anyone else dealt with hot-swap reliability or BLE latency issues on similar builds? Curious if there's a cleaner way than what I stumbled into.

https://www.indiegogo.com/en/projects/penengineering/keyapad-every-key-your-rules

I'd been wanting to build a numeric keypad for years to replace the TKL keyboard I currently have. Then I saw ScottoKeebs' videos, and they inspired me to create one.

So, I looked on Printables for a design similar to what I was looking for, and that's where I started building it. I already had a Raspberry Pi Pico and a 128x32 OLED screen, plus several switches a friend gave me, so all I needed was the motivation to build it (and my brother's 3D printer).

And I'm really happy with how the design turned out.

I just got my binepad knobX and I am playing around with it now. I already wish it had more dials than one, but that's on me. The finish looks and feels solid though two LEDs for light effects is a bit sparse it turns out. Cant really do rotating colors well.

Also the dial itself wobbles relative to the base, whats up with that? It makes the otherwise solid product feel so cheap..

I'm curious what others experiences are, this is the first shipping batch so that might take a bit 😂